The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-06-24
MONEY IN OUR ELECTIONS.

When capitalists or great corporate in
terests take prominent part with their
means 10 determine an election, as some
times is the case in many parts of the
United States, the canvass or contest is
designated as a money fight" Now,
we are sorry to say that the financial re-
sources of friends of candidates for pop
ular representation in Hawaii are begin
ming 70 be regarded as of more conse-
quence than the principles of candidates;
80 that our elections are likely to assume
somewhat the features of the electioneer-
ing "money fights" abroad.
But We are able to say, for the credit
Of Hawaiian voters, that the heaviest
purse does not carry the day. On the
occasion of the last election for repre-
sentatives to the Legislature OF 1885, it
is the general opinion, and we believe it
20 be correct, that more money was
spent than during any previous election.
The sums spent may appear small when
compared with the great electioneering
expenditure abroad, but considering the
number of voters to be influenced, orr
campaign electioneering expenditure is
quite large.
We speak advisedly in saying that the
National party, or those in sympathy
with the Government, spent about s11,-
600 to promote the return OF their candi-
dstes, whereas the opposition, or So
called " Independent party" spent
$50, 900 in carrying on their canvass.
These amounts it may be said were
the proceeds of party subscription and
do not include considerable sums of
money disbursed by candidates ont of
their own pockets. The result, as is |
well known, was not to the advantage of |
the larger expenditure, and should have
the effect to discourage the establish |
ment of the "money fight as a condi-
ton of our Hawaiian elections
THE Hawaiian will take tip or douceur
as readily as any other man, whether at
an election, or on any other occasion;
but he is not easily purchased when he
believes that the interests OF his
race or country are at stake
He has bland asserting way. so that
too often the money giver who thinks he
has purchased TIE vote OF the Kanaka.
finds out that he has expended his
money in vain. The idle stories that the
Hawaiian will readily dispose of his vote
for q trif1ing gift, or drink of LIQUOR.
have less foundation in fact, and are less
applicable TO him, than to any other
voter in any representative country in
the world
The sum of thirty-two thousand dollars
represents about four dollars head
ior every voter in the Kingdom,
and considering the actual vote on the
Independent ticket, there must have
been distributed an average of about ten
lollars head. We believe this far ex-
leeds the proportion of electioneering
per capita in any electioneer- $
ng campaign in the United States or
Great Britain.
Our political parties must do some
hing else besides providing money for a
,olitical canvass. Either party will pro-
lain the honesty of their purpose and :
he integrity of their principles for the ]
common welfare, but the vast majority /
& the voters of this Kingdom, the Ha- t
yaiiau voters, have TO be convinced that {
he object of party is to promote the t
Welfare of their race and nation, and have ?
hope in his national perpetuity and in :
otherwise any amount of ex-
'enditure to influence their votes will be ;
n vain; and the money fight as i
low crrried on, is not likely to succeed c
II Hawaii. o
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